India's $100 billion IT services sector is under pressure to sustain growth as clients in key markets, including Europe and the United States, have been keeping a tight grip on tech spending because of global economic uncertainty.

"We are finishing the calendar year very well and look very confident going into the future in Q4 and FY14," chief executive N Chandrasekaran told reporters on Monday, adding he felt positive about clients' technology budgets.

The number of clients contributing $100 million or more annual revenue rose to 16 in the quarter, from 14, TCS said, adding it also won 31 new clients in the period.

The company, which does not give detailed revenue forecasts, said it still expected to beat an industry export revenue growth estimate made by the National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM).

In November, NASSCOM said the sector was likely to meet the lower end of its revenue growth outlook of 11-14 percent for the fiscal year to end-March.

TCS said net profit for the three months to December rose to 35.5 billion rupees, compared with a forecast for 32.4 billion in a Thomson Reuters poll.

BRIGHTER OUTLOOK

Infosys Ltd (INFY.NS) had fuelled expectations the sector may be turning a corner when the second-ranked software group raised its full-year revenue forecast on Friday after new clients and an acceleration in IT spending by existing customers helped it post a stronger-than-expected profit.

TCS's revenue, in dollar terms, rose 3.3 percent quarter-on-quarter to $2.95 billion. That compared with a 6.3 percent rise at Infosys, which was helped by its purchase of Swiss consultancy Lodestone Holdings.

"This quarter's numbers are not that exciting, but the management's commentary on FY14 is more positive," said Rikesh Parikh, vice president for markets strategy and equities at Motilal Oswal Securities in Mumbai.

MUMBAI State Bank of India has agreed to sell a 3.9 percent stake in its life insurance arm to affiliates of KKR and Temasek for 17.94 billion rupees ($266 million), the nation's biggest lender said on Friday.